SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Dec 18 – Ghislaine
Maxwell,
charged with
sex
trafficking
and other
charges, is amid a
trial that
started on
November 29,
after the
November 23
final-final
pre trial conference,
vlog here.
On October 29
and again on November 12
Maxell
and the US
Attorney's
Office for the
Southern
District of
New York filed
a flurry of
motions in
limine,
heavily
redacted; the
Government
argued that
trial exhibits
are not public
and will be
withheld.
Inner City
Press opposed
and opposes
the continued
secrecy. And
see DC op-ed
here.
On
December 16,
after a three
day hiatus as
Judge Nathan
went to DC
seeking
2d Circuit seat,
Maxwell's
defense began,
with her executive
assistant
Cimerly Espinosa.
Inner City Press
live tweeted
here,
8:45 am live
stream here,
podcast here
On
the afternoon
of December
17, the
defense rested,
and Ghislaine
Maxwell said
there was no
reason for her to
testify
because, she
said, the
government had
not proved its
case beyond
a reasonable
doubt,
after Eva
Dubin. Inner
City Press
live
tweeted here,
podcast here,
midday live
stream here
On
Saturday
December 18
Judge Nathan
held the
charging
conference, at
which references
to "the defendant"
were changed to
a more
Lady-like "Ms.
Maxwell" and
foreign travel
and the
word "minor"
were dropped and
replaced.
Inner City
Press live tweeted
here,
pre-conference
live
stream here,
podcast
here
OK - in
US v.
#GhislaineMaxwell,
it's the
Saturday
"charging
conference" to
argue how the
jury will be
instructed
before they
deliberate on
Maxwell's
fate.
Judge
Nathan: I have
distributed my
draft charge.
Now we will
discuss it.
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell: We
say foreign
commerce
should be
excluded.
There's no
evidence in
the record
about Ms.
Maxwell
enticing
Virginia
Roberts, only
of Roberts
enticing
Carolyn.
AUSA:
We're OK with
removing
foreign
commerce from
Counts 1-4.
[Note:
Ghislaine
Maxwell is
here, sitting
in the corner
as ever with
two (female)
U.S. Marshals
behind her,
today in g[reen]
sweater.]
Judge
Nathan: Mr.
Everdell, help
me find each
"foreign
commerce."
Everdell:
We want it to
say that Count
4 relates
solely to
Jane. With
respect to
Kate, there
was no
violation of
New York law -
she was above
the age of
consent. And
Annie,
whatever she
may be
claiming in
New Mexico,
there was no
violation of
law. So only
Jane ]
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell:
Annie and Kate
are not
victims of
this
conspiracy.
Judge Nathan:
That's why
there was a
different
limiting
instruction.
Everdell:
Traveling from
Arizona to New
Mexico did not
have its
object
violating New
York law.
AUSA:
You're
conflating the
conspiracy and
the
substantive
counts. Judge
Nathan: The
[defense]
objection is
overruled.
Page 15 adding
"solely"
between
"relates" and
the world
"to." That is,
"relates
SOLELY to"
Jane.
Everdell:
Page 16, line
2 - also
change that.
Judge Nathan:
I will.
Everdell:
Let's take out
the word
"minor," it
creates a lot
of ambiguity.
Judge
Nathan: let's
say,
"individuals
under the age
of 18."
[Visual
update: upon
further
reflecting,
Maxwell's
sweater may be
green. Her
brother in the
front row of
the gallery
takes down his
mask, takes
swig of
bottled water]
[Update:
Maxwell's
brother,
reading from a
cell phone,
puts his mask
back up.]
Everdell: We'd
like to omit
another "or
foreign" Judge
Nathan: Done.
Everdell:
We object to
the word
coerced, we'd
like it
removed.
[Bobbi
Sternheim come
from front
table back to
where Everdell
is, next to
Maxwell, and
whispers in
his ear,
pointing at
Judge Nathan's
charge. A copy
of a case is
handed to AUSA
Rohrbach]
Everdell:
I can get you
a typewritten
proposed
instruction,
like the one
given by Judge
Rakoff in US
v. Miller.
[Pause while
Judge Nathan
and AUSA
Rohrbach and
AUSA Maurene
Comey read the
case they've
been handed]
Judge
Nathan returns
with a Federal
Appendix case
found by "my
crack law
clerks." It
seems the 2d
Circuit, to
which Judge
Nathan
aspires,
permits two
different
charges on
"one dominant
purpose."
Everdell: Page
24, we want it
to say "Ms
Maxwell" not
"the
defendant"
Everdell:
We want the
word "solely"
on line 12.
Judge Nathan:
Done. And I'll
strike "and
foreign" on
page 25.
Everdell:
There, we also
object to the
use of the
language of
the statute -
we want a
bracket. Judge
Nathan: I
spent an
inordinate
amount of time
on this
Maxwell's
lawyer
Everdell: here
it says
"between the
US and a
foreign
country." That
should be out.
AUSA: Fine.
[Note: Now
it's Menninger
huddling in
the corner
with Ghislaine
Maxwell, who
is speaking
with her hands
- whispering
through mask
but
gesticulating]
Everdell:
In the title,
we'd like to
change minor
to person
under 18.
AUSA: The
indictment
says "minor."
But we are not
seeking to
send the
indictment
back with the
jury. Judge
Nathan: So you
are in
vigorous
agreement.
[Laughter
among
lawyers.]
[Note:
Maxwell's
lawyer
Menninger has
picked up her
bag and coat
and she's left
the courtroom.
Everdell is
running the
show on the
jury charge,
vs AUSA
Rohrbach
(though AUSA's
Lara Pomeratz
and Maurene
Comey taking
and passing
copious
notes).
Everdell:
With respect
to Jane, we
want to use
the word
"alleges." And
here, we'd
like you to
simply
eliminate the
reference to
age. AUSA: We
can remove
age, let the
jury decide
Annie's age.
Everdell: We
preserve our
objection with
respect to the
topless
massage.
Maxell's
lawyer Bobbi
Sternheim
jumps in and
gets a change.
By contrast
AUSA Lara
Pomerantz
passes a note
to AUSA
Maurene Comey,
who reads it
and passes it
on to AUSA
Rohrback,
who's doing
the speaking.
He says, We're
OK to cut
"including at
times
Maxwell."
Everdell:
We want the
"conscious
avoidance"
language out.
The record
shows people
saying their
ages. I need
to break this
into 2 pieces.
There was
testimony
about multiple
females being
at the Palm
Beach
residence. But
what ages did
they look
like?
Everdell:
Mr. Alessi
said he only
saw two people
who looked
under age.
Jane says she
was 14 or 15
and we say no,
she was older.
Carolyn says,
I was such and
such age. But
we say we made
nothing to do
with Carolyn.
Everdell:
Maybe Mr.
Epstein
slipped in a
couple of
teenagers.
AUSA: Carolyn
was told to
say she was
18. Everdell:
Carolyn was
told by
*Virginia* to
say she was
18. That
doesn't have
anything to do
with Ms.
Maxwell.
Judge
Nathan: We're
going to
include it.
Wait, I have a
comment on my
own draft. The
"he" should be
replaced with
"she."
Everdell:
There were
witnesses with
felony
convictions.
We'd like the
Sand
instruction on
the
credibility of
witnesses.
AUSA:
We're not
aware of this
instruction
being given in
this District.
Judge Nathan:
I haven't
given that
instruction.
Everdell:
Maybe on
cooperators?
Judge Nathan:
Looks like I
have give it
as a separate
instruction,
in US v. Berry
[Inner City
Press also
covered
Everdell:
We want the
instruction
that US but
not the
defense can
offer
immunity. One
of our
witnesses said
they would
invoke the
Fifth. AUSA:
Virginia
Robert could
have been
called by the
defense --
Defense: I'm
not referring
to her. I'm
referring to
Sarah Kellen
AUSA
Rohrback: We
don't want in
closing the
argument about
the empty
chair and why
the government
is
prosecuting.
Everdell:
Let's turn to
the verdict
sheet. Take
out the word
minor, put in
"individuals
under the age
of 17."
Judge
Nathan: OK.
AUSA: We have
one nit. Where
it's supposed
to be, Mark
your verdict
with a check
mark, you
actually use a
"T" in
parenthesis.
Judge Nathan
(laughs) I
don't know how
that got in
there. We'll
fix it.
Judge Nathan:
This should be
a two hour
closing.
AUSA
Comey: But we
have exhibits.
So two and a
half. Judge
Nathan: Can
you do thirty
for the
rebuttal? AUSA
Comey: I'd ask
for the
court's
indulgence for
more Judge
Nathan: Thirty
five minutes.
[So 5 hours
and 35 minutes
and the
charge, short
lunch, Judge
says]
Judge
Nathan: The
charge is 80
pages. My
favorite part
of the job,
reading the
charge
(laughs). It
should take an
hour. [So 6
hours and 35
minutes, plus
breaks and
lunch - can
fit between 9
am and 6 pm,
on Monday.
#MaximumMaxwell
AUSA
Maurene Comey:
To keep things
confidential,
during
closings some
exhibits will
only be on the
jurors'
screen, not
the public
screen. We'll
also turn the
podium. Judge
Nathan: I will
work on
finalizing the
charge. [But
will it go
into the
docket? Story
soon
Addendum:
Maxwell stayed
in the
courtroom
after some
others left.
Finally the
two Marshal
escorted her
toward the
prisoners'
door - she
stopped on the
way and
exchanged
words with her
brother, then
continued to
the door.
On
December 10,
leading up to
the US resting
of its case,
Annie Farmer
was cross
examined, then
her
ex-boyfriend
and mother
testified.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it here,
podcast here,
stand-up,
GMax
sister -
and circus
Again,
where is the
Press
opposition to
all this
sealing, and
the
decision-maker?
On October 18 the US
Attorney's Office opposed the
request, saying the the voir
dire questions should be asked
by Judge Nathan, and that
there should only be sidebars
on "sensitive questions such
as those that relate to sexual
abuse and media exposure."
Full letter on Patreon here.
In a
conference on October 21 on
that as scheduling issues,
Judge Nathan denied the
request to seal. Inner City
Press live tweeted it
here (podcast here)
On October 22 the
draft jury questionnaire was
unsealed and Inner City Press
has immediately published it
on its DocumentCloud here,
including "Have you or a
family member ever supported,
lobbied, petitioned,
protested, or worked in
any other manner for or
against any laws, regulations,
or organizations relating to
sex trafficking, sex crimes
against minors, sex abuse or
sexual harassment?" Photo here.
After the death of Jeffrey
Epstein in the MCC prison, on
July 2 Acting US Attorney for
the SDNY Audrey Strauss
announced and unsealed in
indictment of Maxwell on
charges including sex
trafficking and perjury.
Inner City Press went to her
press conference at the US
Attorney's Office and asked,
Doesn't charging Maxwell with
perjury undercut any ability
to use testimony from her
against other, bigger
wrong-doers? Periscope here
at 23:07.
Strauss
replied that it is not
impossible to use a perjurer's
testimony. But how often does
it work?
At 3:30 pm
on July 2 Maxwell appeared in
the U.S. District Court for
the District of New Hampsire,
before Magistriate Judge Andrea
K. Johnstone.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it
here.
(Also
live tweeted
bail denial of
July 14, here.)
In
the July 3 media coverage of
Maxwell, media all of the
world used a video and stills
from it of Maxwell speaking in
front of a blue curtain, like
here.
What they
did not mention is something
Inner City Press has been
asking the UN about, as under
UNSG Antonio Guterres with his
own sexual exploitation issues
(exclusive video
and audio)
it got roughed up and banned
from the UN: Ghislaine Maxwell
had a ghoulish United Nations
press conference, under the
banner of the "Terramar
Project," here.
On July 5,
after some crowd-sourcing,
Inner City Press reported on
another Ghislaine Maxwell use
of the United Nations,
facilitated by Italy's
Permanent Representative to
the UN, UN official Nikhil
Seth and Amir Dossal,
who also let into the UN and
in one case took money from
convicted UN briber Ng Lap
Seng, and Patrick Ho of CEFC
China Energy, also linked to
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres.
At the
Ghislaine Maxwell UN event,
the UN Deputy Secretary
General was directly involved.
List of (some of)
the participants on Patreon here.
Inner City
Press has published a phone of
Maxwell in the UN with Dossal,
here. But the connection runs
deeper: Dossal with "25 years
of UN involvement" was on
Terrarmar's board of
directors, one of only five
directors, only three not
related to Maxwell by blood
and name.
The directors:
Ghislaine Maxwell, Christine
Malina-Maxwell, Steven Haft,
Christine Dennison and... Amir
Dossal. Inner City Press is
publishing this full 990 on
Patreon here.
Dossal has
operated through the UN Office
of Partnership, with Antonio
Guterres and his deputy Amina
J. Mohammed, here.
And the links to
the world of UN bribery,
including Antonio Guterres
through the Gulbenkian
Foundation, runs deeper. More
to follow.
Antonio Guterres
claims he has zero tolerance
for sexual exploitation, but
covers it up and even
participate in it. He should
be forced to resign - and/or
have immunity waived.
Terramar
has been dissolved, even
though Maxwell's former
fundraiser / director of
development Brian Yurasits
still lists the URL on his
(protected) Twitter profile,
also here.
But now
Inner City Press has begun to
inquire into Ghislaine
Maxwell's other United Nations
connections, starting with
this photograph of another
day's (or at least another
outfit's) presentation in the
UN, here.
While co-conspirator Antonio
Guterres has had Inner City
Press banned from any entry
into the UN for two years and
a day, this appears to be in
the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) chamber.
We'll have more on this, and
on Epstein and the UN. Watch
this site.
The case
is US v. Maxwell, 20-cr-330
(Nathan).
***
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